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A. H. JOHNSON. ECWEE AEELYINC DEVICE ECE ELECTRIC MCTCEs.

N0. 510,603. Patented Deo. 12, 1893.

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A. H. JOHNSON. POWER AEPLYING DEVICE EGE ELECTRIC MOTQEE4 No. 510,603; Patented Deo. l2, 1893.

@www WWE f www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. JOHNSON, OF RAHVAY, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE HALL SIGNAL COMPANY, OF NEl/V YORK AND MAINE.

POWER-APPLYING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,603, dated December 12, 1893.

Applioationled December l5, 1892. Serial No. 455,313. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom t may concern: brake at the completion of a detinite move- Be it known that l, ARTHUR H. JOHNsON,a ment of the device to be moved, and for consubject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a tinning the application of the brake until resident of Rahway, in the county of Union the cessation of the electrical current; also a 55 and State of New Jersey, have invented cerrelay for controlling the movement of the detain new and useful Improvements in Powervice by making and breaking the actuating Applying Devices for Electro-ll'lagnetic Mocircuit.

tors, of which the following is aspecification, For the purpose of fully explaining my inreference being had to the accompanying vention I have shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 6o ro drawings, forming part hereof. of the drawings an application of the same My invention is generally applicable to-all to operate the semaphore arm of a railway devices to be moved, but is especially designal, and in Figs. 4E and 5 another applicasigned for railway signal armsorsemaphores, tion of the same for operating a railway railway gates, railway switches, tbc., in which switch. 6 5

the arms, semaphores, gates, switches, the., Fig. l isafront elevation of the signalpost, are to receive a definite movement upon the semaphore arm and operating mechanism. breaking or closing of a circuit or upon the Fig. l is an enlarged detail of a portion of happening of some event such as the apthe centrifugal clutch. Fig. 2 is a side eleproach or recedence of a train. vation showing the operating mechanism, 7o

zo It consists of means for utilizing an ordiwith the inclosing case in section. Fig. 3 is nary rotary electro-motor to causethese movean enlarged horizontal section of the cenments. trifugal clutch taken on the line 3-3, Fig. l.

The means embodying my broad invention Fig. t is a sectional elevation of the electroconsist of a centrifugally operated clutch inmotor, railway switch and connecting mechz5 terposed between the electronnotor and the anism,and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. device to be moved so that at low speeds the The electro-motor c is shown in Figs. l, 2, motor is not connected to the device to be el and 5. Its shaft c has secured to it a co1- moved,but as the speed of the motor increases lar CZ provided with radial bearings in which the centrifugal clutch acts to hold the revolv are fitted to slide the gripping pieces e. 80 3o ing parts together and the power is applied The outer peripheries of these gripping to move the device. The employment of this pieces fit against the inner periphery of a centrifugal clutch permits the eleetro-motor wheel or tlangcd disk f fitted so as to rotate to acquire a high speed and to store up conindependently of the shaft c and connected siderable momentum before any work is pnt with the device to be moved. This disk f 35 upon it. It also permits the work to be apwill not by its rotation cause any movement plied gradually to the electro-motor, as the of the motor shaft c,wl1ile, on the other hand, centrifugal clutch maybe so constructed that the rotation of the motor shaft, when at a as the electro-motor approaches the speed at sufficiently high speed to cause the gripping which the clutch will positively grip and hold pieces or grippers e to tightly grip the inner 9o 4o the parts of the clutch together, the parts will periphery of the disk f, will cause the rotaslip to some extent, but nevertheless the tion of the disk f and devices connected movement of one will cause a slight movetherewith. To regulate the gripping action ment 0f the other, and this slip will gradually of the grippers @,springs e are provided which decrease until the gripping speed is reached. tend to pull the grippers toward the center, 45 My entire invention includes gearing conthus resisting the centrifugal action. These nected atitsfast end by thecentrifugal clutch springs and the weight of the grippers can to the electro-motor, and connected at its be so adjusted that this clutch will hold the slow end to the device to be moved, and a motor shaft c and disk fso as to rotate toswitch connected to the moving mechanism gether at any desired speed. It will be noted ico 5o for cutting off the current from the electroalso that the clutch may be constructed so motor and applying an electrically-operated that the engagement of the two rotating parts will occur very gradually as the motor shaft approaches its gripping speed, by making the engaging faces of the clutch smooth and nonadherent so that there will be considerable slip before the positive engagement of the faces take place. This arrangement will permit the motor to acquire a high rotative velocity and to store up considerable momentum before its work is put upon it.

'I have shown in the drawings two arrangements of mechanism for connecting the disk of the centrifugal clutch with the devices to be moved. I will first describe that shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 which embodies my entire invention. In this construction the motor and clutch are connected with a semaphore arm a supported by the post b. Only a por-` tion of the arm a and the post b are shown in the drawings. The electro-motoris mounted within a protected casing at the side of the post, and is connected through a train of gearing and connecting rod to the semaphore arm. The disk fis secured to or formed upon a sleeve fitted loosely upon the electro-motor shaft c', and a pinion g is formed upon or secured to this sleeve. The pinion g meshes with the gear wheel 71. mounted upon the same shaft with the pinion i; the pinion z' meshes into the gear wheel j mounted on the same shaft as the pinion k; the pinion k meshes into the toothed sectorl mounted on the same shaft as the arm Z, and the arm Z is joined by the connecting rod Z2 to the semaphore arm a. The semaphore arm is shown in its horizontal or danger position. vIt is advisable to make this danger position the normal position of the semaphore arm, and to that end the semaphore is shown counter-weighted at a on the opposite side of the center from the arm, the weight c being sufficient to hold the semaphore arm at the danger position under all ordinary circumstances. The power of the electro-motor is applied for the purpose of pulling down the arm from the horizontal danger position to the nearly vertical or safety position. When the semaphore has reached the safety position, no further movement of the mechanism in that direction is required. I therefore provide a switch for cutting off the supply of electric current to the motor, and an electrically-operated brake to be applied to the moving mechanism at about the end of the downward movement of the semaphore. The switch m is shown mounted in the upper part of the casing and connected by the actuating rod m', bell-crank m2 and connecting rodm3 with an arm mounted on the same shaft as the sector l. The switch could, of course, be connected with any snitable moving part of' the mechanism. The switch m is shown as a snap switch, the object of this construction being to make the switch arm n move quickly from the contact plate n to the contact plate n2. The switch arm fn is connected by the wire l to thebattery B. The contact plate n is connected by the wire 2 and through the coils of the electromotor c and wire t to the other endof the battery B. The contact plate n2 is connected by the wire 5 and through the coils of the electro-magnet o and wire 6 to the wire 4, thence of course to the same end of the battery B as .the contact plate 'n'. When therefore the switch arm n is in contact with the plate n', the current from battery B flows through the electro-motor coils, and is cut 0E from the electro-magnet 0, and when the switch arm n is in contact with the plate n the current is cut off from the electro-motor coils and flows through the electro-magnet o. This electro-magnet o has an armature connected with the brake-shoe o. arranged to bear upon the outer periphery of the disk f. The current owing through this electro-magnet causes the brake o to be applied to the disk fand speedily checks the movement of the mechanism.

A relay is shown for controlling the semaphore, although of course it is obvious that any suitable circuit breaker may beused. This relay R hasA an armature r which when attracted by the relay magnet closes a break in wire 4. The relay R may be operated by track circuits or track instruments or other automatic or hand-operated devices, at any desired distance from the semaphore.

In the positions of parts shown in the drawings the relay circuit R has just been closed and the electro-motor is about to commence its movement. The electro-motor will revolve freely until it has attained the speed at which it is to be connected with the semaphore, and then it will gradually or quickly, as may be desired, through its centrifugal clutch, impart motion to the semaphore operating mechanism and pull the semaphore downward toward the safety position. If the weight of this mechanism proves at any time too much for the electro-motor so as to cause a diminution of its speed, the electro-motor would be tem-l porarily disconnected and would store up more momentum. When the semaphore has about reached its safety position the arm of the switch mis snapped over and contact is broken between the switch arm n and plate n', and made between the switch arm n and plate n2. Thereby the current is cut off from the electro-motor and sent through the brake-actuating magnet 0, and the brake o is applied to the mechanism. It will be noted here that as soon as the speed of the mechanism becomes lower than the gripping speed of the centrifugal clutch, the electro-motor will be disconnected and will slowly and freely come to rest, so that all sudden shocks to the electromotor are prevented. The brake o will be held in contact with the disk funtil the circuit of the electro-magnet 0 is broken, and this circuit will not ordinarily be broken until the relay R releases its armature 1'. If, however, the semaphore were moved by hand, or otherwise, from its safety position while the circuit of battery B remains closed at the point r, the current will be switched through IIO the electro-motor and the semaphore will be immediately returned to safety position. Thus it will be seen that the mechanism acts to move the semaphore to the safety position and to hold it in that position so long as the current of its actuating battery is closed. As soon, however, as the current of the battery B is broken at the point fr, the mechanism is released and the semaphore returns to the danger position. It will be noted that this return movement of the semaphore mechanism and of the disk f does not cause rotation of the armature, and thus the electro-magnet is guarded against any unnecessary movements. The disk fand connected gearing act to regulate the return movement of the semaphore by reason of the resistance of the air to their rapid rotation, and thus prevent a too rapid return movement and prevent a sudden jar or shock of the semaphore at the completion of such return movement when the semaphore reaches the danger position and comes against its stop.

n Figs. 4 and 5 the connecting gearing between the centrifugal clutch and the device to be moved (in this case a switch) consists of a .revolving screw and its nut and suitable arms and links. The sleeve d is rigidly fixed to the shaft c. The diskf is rigidly mounted upon a separate shaft p in alignment with shaft c which rotates in suitable bearings and is screw-threaded between its bearings. A nut q meshes into the threaded portion of the shaft p and is guided by the straight guide arms q q which engage with projections q2 q2 from the nut so that it slides in a straight line when the screw shaft p is rotated. Links s, s are also connected to the nut g and to the switch lever t. The switch lever t is pivotally mounted and has secured to it the link t connecting it with the switch. bar u. fu n are the moving tongues of the switch and w w the rails. lVith this construction it is necessary to actuate the electro-motor for each movement of the switch. It will therefore be necessary to send the current in one direction through the motor to move the switch in one direction, and to reverse the current for a reverse movement of the switch. This is provided for by the arrangement of switches sho-wn diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The switch lever 1/ is controlled by a sliding bar y', and this sliding bar y has two projections y2 and ys which engage with the projection (13 of the sliding nut q. There are two contacts to this switch, one connected to the wire and the other to the wire 9. When the nut is in the eXtreme right hand position, as shown in Fig. 4, the switch lever y is in contact with the wire 7. lVhen the nut q is in the extreme left hand position, the switch lever y is in contact with the wire 9. Vhile the nut is moving in the intermediate positions the switch lever is unaffected. For instance, the nut q as shown in Flg. 4L, is about to move to the left and will not operate the switch until just before it reaches the extreme left hand position.

The apparatus may be operated and controlled by a relay or byahand-operated switch. The drawings show a hand-operated switch containing a handle fc, and two mechanically connected but electrically insulated switch bars as and m2. The switch bar x is connected with one pole of the battery B', and the switch bar :r2 is connected with the other pole of said battery. There are three contacts. One of these contacts is connected directly by the wire 7 to a corresponding contact in the switch on the machine. The second of these contacts is connected by the wire 8, through the the coils of the electro-motor, to the switch lever y on the machine. The third contact is connected by the wire 9 directly to the second contact of the switch on the machine. As shown, the switch bars fc and :r2 have just been operated to connect the wires? and 8 to the battery B', and the current flows through the switch bar m2 by the wire 8, including the coils of the electro-magnet, and from the wire 8 through the switch lever y to the wire 7, and through switch bar back to the battery. The electric current will now iiow through the electro-motor and cause the mechanism to close the railway switch. At the completion of the closing of the railway switch, the lever y breaks contact with the wire 7 thus breaking the electro-motor circuit. To cushion the stroke of the switch lever and prevent jarring, I provide a spring e' against which the lever twill come in contact at about this part of its movement. The railway switch will remain closed until the switch bars a." and @c2 are operated to bring into contact with the wire 8 and x2 into contact with the wire 9; then the current will flow from the battery through bar v2 and the wire 9, switch bar y, (which is now in contact with wire 9) wire 8 and electro-motor coils, and back to battery by the switch-bar fr', thus flowing in the reverse direction from that in which it flowed to close the switch. This will cause the electro-motor and connected parts to move in the opposite direction from that employed in closing the railway switch, and will therefore result in opening the switch. Just before the nut q returns to its extreme right hand position, it will move the switch lever y so as to break contact with the wire 9 and thus cut off the supply of current from the electro-motor.

The spring z', working against the lever t, will cushion the shock of the mechanism as it comes to a standstill. This construction makes it possible to control the switch at any desired distance therefrom, either manually or automatically. The current is permitted to iiow until the work has been accomplished and the circuit is broken, but at the same time the parts are put in position to be operated in the reverse direction upon a change in the operating switch or relay.

It is obvious that other applications may IIO be made of my broad invention, and various modifications may be made in the applications shown without departing from the spirit of my broad invention. v

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an electric motor and a circuit therefor, a-device to be moved by the motor,a brake and circuit therefor, said circuits so operatively connected with the moving parts that when they have completed a definite movement the circuit for the motor is automatically de-energized and the circuit for the brake is automatically energized, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of an electric motor and acircuit therefor, -a device to be moved by the motor, a brake and a circuit therefor, a switch for said circuits automatically operated by the moving parts to de-energize the circuit for the motor and energize the circuit for the brake substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of an electric motor and a circuit therefor, a device to be moved by the motor, a brake and a circuit therefor so operatively connected with the moving parts that When they have completed a detinite movement the circuit for the brake is energized, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of an electric motor and a circuit therefor, a device to be moved by the motor, a brake and a circuit therefor, a switch for said circuits automatically operated by the moving parts to energize the circuit for the brake, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination With an electro-motor and a device t0 be moved thereby, and a circuit for conveying current tothe electro-motor, of an electrically actuated brake controlling, When operated, the movement of said device, and a circuit for said brake, and a switch operated by the moving parts to cut off the current from the electro-motor circuit and send it through the brake actuating circuit on the completion of a definite movement of the device, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with an electro-motor and a device to be moved thereby, and a circuit for conveying current to the electro-motor, of a clutch containing two revolving parts, said parts being independently revoluble at low speeds but held by centrifugal force so as to rotate together at high speeds, one of such parts being connected to the electro-motor and the other to the device to be moved, and of an electrically-actuated brake adapted to retard the movement of the device, and a circuit for said brake, and a switch operated by the moving parts to cut off the current from the electro-motor circuit and send it through the brake actuating circuit on the completion of a definite movement of the device, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with an electro-motor and a device to be moved thereby, and a circuit for conveying current to the electro-motor, of an electrically-actuated brake controlling, when operated,vthe movement of said device and a circuit for said brake, aswitch operated by the moving parts to cnt off the current from the electro-motor circuit and send it through the brake actuating circuit on the completion of a definite movement of the device, and a circuit breaker for closing and holding closed the path for said current, and also for cutting o said current, whereby said circuit breaker Will control the movement of said device, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of an electro-motor, ay

device to be moved thereby, a train of gearing connecting said device and the electromotor, a centrifugal clutch interposed in said gearing, an electrically actuated brake adapted to retard the movement of the device, and a switch operated by the moving parts to cut off the current from the electro-motor and send it to the brake on the completion of a definite movement of the device, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a pivoted arm of a train of gearing connected at its slovvr end to said arm, an electro-motor, a centrifugal clutch connecting the fast end of the gearing to the electro-motor and a switch operated by the moving parts to cut o the current from the electro-motor at about the completion of the movement of the pivoted arm in one direction, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with a pivoted arm of a train of gearing connected at its slow end to said arm, an electro-motor, a centrifugal clutch connecting the fast end of the gearing to the electro-motor, an .electrically-actuated brake arranged to be putin frictional contact with some revolving part at the fast end of the gearing, and a switch operated by the moving parts to cut 0E the current from the electro-motor and send it to the brake on the completion of the movement of the pivoted arm in one direction, substantially as lset forth.

`11. The combination with an electro-motor, its shaft and the radially sliding grippers e, e, thereon, the flanged disk fand pinion g connected together and mounted loosely upon saidv electro-motor shaft, the Wheel h and pinion t', the Wheel j and pinion k, the toothed sector l and arm l', a switch connected to said sector l, and an arm to be moved connected to said arm Z', substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with an electromotor and a device to be moved thereby, and a circuit for conveying current to the electro-motor, of arevolving Wheel having an inner cylindrical surface and connected to said device, and revolving grippers adapted to tit against the inner cylindrical surface of the wheel, and radial bearings in which said grippers are fitted to slide, said bearings being connected to the electro-motor, an electrically actuated brake controlling, when operated, the movement ot' said device and a circuit for said brake, a switch operated by the moving parts to cut 0E the current from the electro- IOO motor circuit and send it lthrough the brake actuating circuit on the completion of a defi nite movement of the device, and a circuit breaker for closing and holding closed the path of said current, and also for cutting off Said current, whereby said circuit breaker will control the movement of said device, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with an electro-motor and a device to be moved thereby, and a circuit for conveying current to the electro-motor, of a revolving Wheel having an inner cylindrical surface and connected to said device, and revolving grippers adapted to fit against the inner cylindrical surface of the wheel and radial bearings in Which said grippers are tted to slide, said bearings being connected to the electro-motor, an electrically actuated brake controlling, when operated,

the movement of said device and a circuit "for said brake, a train of gearing connecting Bald Wheel and the device to be moved, said stantially as set forti;`

ARTI-112e H. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS,` SIDNEY MANN. 

